Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 56

Dvādaśī-vrata: Month-by-month Viṣṇu Worship and the Year-End Udyāpana

Devanagari script

उपायनं च संगृह्य ममाभीष्टप्रदो भव । ब्राह्मणान्भोजयेच्छक्त्या स्वयं भुञ्जीत वाग्यतः ॥ ५६ ॥

Transliteration

upāyanaṃ ca saṃgṛhya mamābhīṣṭaprado bhava | brāhmaṇānbhojayecchaktyā svayaṃ bhuñjīta vāgyataḥ || 56 ||

Translation

ఉపాయనాన్ని (అర్పణను) స్వీకరించి “నా అభీష్టాన్ని ప్రసాదించువాడవు కావాలి” అని చెప్పాలి. శక్తి మేరకు బ్రాహ్మణులకు భోజనం పెట్టి, తరువాత తాను వాక్సంయమంతో భుజించాలి।

Word by Word

• उपायनम्: a gift/offering
• उपायनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपायन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; object of ‘संगृह्य’

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; conjunction

• संगृह्य: having taken/accepted
• संगृह्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यबन्त/तुमुन्-समकक्ष (Gerund/Absolutive in -ya); ‘having collected/taken’

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Genitive singular ‘of me/my’

• अभीष्ट-प्रदः: giver of my desired (boon)
• अभीष्ट-प्रदः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभीष्ट (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रद (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक from प्र-दा/प्र-दृ?; here ‘giver’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘अभीष्टं प्रददाति’ = giver of desired boons; predicate adjective (to ‘त्वम्’)

• भव: be
• भव: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘become/be’

• ब्राह्मणान्: Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; object of ‘भोजयेत्’

• भोजयेत्: should feed
• भोजयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु) [णिच् causative]
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; causative ‘should feed’

• शक्त्या: according to ability
• शक्त्या: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental singular ‘according to (one’s) ability’

• स्वयम्: oneself
• स्वयम्: Kriya-viseshana (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; adverb ‘oneself’

• भुञ्जीत: should eat
• भुञ्जीत: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘should eat’

• वाक्-यतः: restrained in speech
• वाक्-यतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वाक् (प्रातिपदिक) + यत (कृदन्त, यम् धातोः क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘वाचा यतः/नियतः’ = restrained in speech; agrees with the doer

Speaker

Sanatkumara (in dialogue with Narada, instructing proper dharmic procedure)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: Traivikrama-vrata (contextual continuation)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Brahmanas

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in Narada Purana?

It links receiving gifts with responsibility: one should reciprocate through dharmic action—especially feeding Brāhmaṇas—and cultivate self-restraint, making charity and discipline a single spiritual practice.

How does this verse explain the path of devotion (Bhakti)?

By emphasizing service (feeding the worthy) and inner control (restrained speech), it teaches that devotion is expressed through respectful conduct and self-discipline, not merely ritual consumption.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It reflects ritual propriety (kalpa-style conduct): capacity-based giving (śaktyā), correct hospitality sequence (feed others first), and vāg-yama as a discipline supporting purity in rites and vows.